


What's In A Name?

by the_nerdiest_insanity



Series: The Name Game [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M, Other, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Supportive Morality | Patton Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, Tags Contain Spoilers, Trans Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Trans Character, Trans Deceit | Janus Sanders, Trans Male Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Trans Male Character, Trans Male Deceit | Janus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:41:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26719966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_nerdiest_insanity/pseuds/the_nerdiest_insanity
Summary: I've seen where a name soulmark will change if the person changes their name, but what if they were already in an established relationship when they finally figured it out?Patton just kept staring at his wrist.Why did his soulmark change?Who was this "Janus" person, and why did the universe think that he would fit better with them than his own wife of three years?
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: The Name Game [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1944610
Comments: 11
Kudos: 191





	What's In A Name?

**Author's Note:**

> Rated T for 1 swear and I guess a more mature topic. I just wanted to rate it a little high to be on the safe side.
> 
> I came up with this after reading like three other fics where the marks change when a person picks a new name, and it just got me thinking of this concept.
> 
> Also, if you can't tell, my affection for Moceit has only grown since the last episode and there is a severe lack of content. Especially work that isn't having them in a toxic relationship.
> 
> It has increased, but I have basically made it my duty to collect and add to it as much as I can.
> 
> I'm rambling. Onto the story!
> 
> ~Spoilers~  
> CW/TW: swearing (a swear really), kinda deadnaming and misgendering, but he doesn't know yet, references to being trans, kinda outing someone (it's kinda the universe's fault since if Virgil didn't do it, Patton would have just looked it up), binding mention,

Patton loved his wife.

Anyone who met him could easily see.

Ever since he saw the name Deanne appear on his wrist, he knew that he would love her till the day he died.

And he meant it when he first saw her in college, through each fight, through each date night, in his marriage vow, and until today.

So why did his soulmark change?

Who was this "Janus" person, and why did the universe think that Patton would fit better with them than his own wife of three years?

True, they could be platonic soulmates, but why now? Why this random Tuesday in the middle of the day?

Staring at his wrist, he walked right into his best friend and fellow co-worker, Virgil.

"Woah! You okay Patton? You seem a bit distracted."

"I-um…" Patton quickly put his arm behind his back and shoved his hand in his back pocket. 

He thought for a moment before hesitantly saying, "Virgil, have you, um, have you ever heard of someone's soulmark, you know, changing?"

Virgil froze, bringing his shoulders up to his ears and hunching in on himself. "I… well, I… um… I might have. Why?"

Patton took a deep breath before bringing his arm out from behind his back. "I, uh, I need help."

The other sucked in a breath, staring at the other's wrist. "Janus, huh," he muttered to himself, "nice name." 

Pat looked up at him. "What was that?"

Virge started to rub the back of his neck. "I know why it changed, but I'm not sure if I should tell you."

That just confused him even more. "Why not?"

"Well, it's not really my place to tell you."

Well that didn't help that curiosity or the confusion at all. "Then who's place would it be?"

Virgil took a sharp breath in. "I… can't really tell you that either."

Now Patton was just frustrated. "How can you not tell me anything about my own soulmark? I don't wanna leave Dee, but I need to know if something's wrong."

"Oh, no nothing's wrong," Virge quickly reassured his friend, "but I don't want either of you to be mad at me for spilling a secret that wasn't mine to share."

"Either of us?"

Virgil immediately paled. "Uh, I mean, uh… shit, I didn't… I, um, think someone's calling me." He tried to walk away but Patton latched onto his wrist.

"Virgil, please just tell me what's going on." He gave the best puppy dog eyes he could muster.

The other friend lasted a minute before he caved. "Alright, but please don't tell them that I told you this because I already feel bad about it."

Unsure of who the "them" was in this situation, Patton still nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so I know about the name's changing because my name changed on Roman's wrist when I transitioned," Virgil rushed out.

Patton just stood there for a moment, blinking and trying to process the quick words.

When they finally sunk in, all he could say was, "Oh."

"Patton, is there something wrong?"

"No, no, no!" he rapidly replied, his mind working again, "I just don't quite know what I was expecting."

"It's not a bad thing," he rushed to add, "I just am not quite sure what to say."

Janus. _Janus._ JANUS. J.A.N.U.S. 

It has a nice ring to it, he must admit.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Virgil asked.

Patton's eyes lit up. 

He had some planning to do.

…

Janus came home early from work, exhausted.

He had been feeling kind of out of it the whole day and his makeshift binder was starting to annoy him. 

But, at least in his free time he had been able to do a little more research on his computer and find the perfect name.

Janus.

It just felt right to him and hearing him call himself that just felt so good.

However, now came the hard part.

He had promised himself that once he found a name that he would tell Patton.

_Hey, Patton, oh husband of mine, you know how I've been your wife for three years? Surprise! I'm actually a guy named Janus, so if you want to leave me and find your_ real _Deanne, you are free to go._

Yeah, no. That wasn't going to work.

He sighed which made him realize again how bad his binder felt. 

He trudged off to their shared bedroom to take it off and throw on one of Patton's sweatshirts. He grabbed the gray one with cat ears and a cat pouch.

He brought the paws up to his nose and took in a deep breath of his husband's scent as he wondered if he would ever be able to wear it again.

Janus sighed as he walked over to their dresser and knelt down to the bottom shelf where they kept their wedding album. He sat down on their bed with it.

He stared longingly at the pages while a small part of his mind wondered how he ever made it through the day in a long, flowing, white gown, stiletto heels, a full face of makeup, and hair down his back.

He pushed some fringe back as he stared at a photo. He just cut it short a month ago claiming the rising temperature and his unwillingness to deal with the tangles anymore.

Patton still said that he looked beautiful.

Oh Patton. He looked so handsome in his baby blue suit and tie with a gray undershirt. Janus still remembers the look of shock and awe that graced his face as he saw his "blushing bride" on their wedding day.

As tears hit the album pages, Janus quickly wiped them off and put it away.

He retreats to the living room, putting on the TV and messing around on his phone to try and keep his mind off of things.

…

Patton fumbled for his keys as he stood in front of his front door.

He had gone to the supermarket, dollar store, and party store in town knowing that D-Janus works later than him.

He was currently trying to get his keys out of his pocket around the numerous bags in his arms containing streamers, party hats, banners, and a cake just to name a few.

Once he finally got the door open, he was greeted with the sight of his spouse sitting on the couch in Patton's favorite hoodie.

"De-Ja-Honey!" he sputtered momentarily, unsure how to currently address his partner, "I didn't think you'd be home so soon."

Janus looked up at his husband confused, slightly worried, and a bit concerned. "Are you alright?"

Patton smiled widely. "Fit as a fiddle!" He set the bags down on the dining room table near him. "I was just planning a surprise for you and wasn't expecting you around, my love."

Janus cringed internally. _He's being so nice. I don't deserve that for hiding something so big from him. I_ have _to tell him._

Janus stood up and took a deep breath before walking over to his husband. "Patton, I, um, I have to tell you something."

Pat closed the bags in front of him as quickly as possible before looking up quizzically at the other.

Janus cleared his throat. _Here goes nothing_.

"I… I… I'm--"

Patton slammed something down ahead of Janus causing him to jump and lose his place. 

Before he could even think, something else was put on his head.

As his brain slowly caught up with the world, he looked up at the cake and then Patton, who was also wearing a hat.

His breath caught in his throat.

Sitting before him was a cake with his name, his _new_ name, covered in blue, green, and yellow frosting.

And resting on Patton's, and presumably his, head was a hat that read "It's a Boy!" in big blue letters. 

Janus could feel tears falling down his face.

"Oh sweetie." Patton walked around the table and stood in front of his love, gently wiping away the tears. "Are the hats wrong? I got plainer ones that I was gonna put "It's an Enby!" on just in case, but I didn't get the chance--" he was cut off with a bone crushing hug.

After a second of surprise, he returned it just as fiercely. "It's okay Janus, I've got you."

He broke down sobbing at the mention of his name.

This was so much more than he could ever have asked for. 

There was just something nagging him in the back of his mind. 

Janus carefully pulled his head out of the other’s chest and looked up at him. “Patton, how did you know my new name? I didn’t even know it until today.”

Patton smiled down at the other as he gently shifted his husband and pulled out his wrist. The other man slowly turned it and saw “Janus” spelled out in his own lovely, yellow cursive.

Janus shakily brought a hand up and traced the letters out on his soulmate’s wrist, barely able to believe what he was seeing.

“I love you, Janus.”

He looked up to meet a bright pair of sky blue eyes filled with nothing but love and adoration.

Janus returned the feelings, tenfold.

“I love you, too, Patton.”

**Author's Note:**

> Was I projecting onto Janus while writing this...
> 
> Noooooo...
> 
> What would just you that idea?
> 
> It's not like I'd ever want any future partner or my family to be this nice or caring if/when they found out.
> 
> ...It's been sad boi hours if you couldn't tell. Sorry.
> 
> Also, don't be too upset at Virgil. If he hadn't told Patton, he would have just looked it up. Plus, Pat already knew about Virge, so he wasn't outing himself.
> 
> And! And, and, remember to bind safely! I imagined Janus's in this were a part of old spandex shorts that he cut up since that was my first one, BUT always practice safe binding! Never more than eight hours at a time. Never used ace bandages or any of this types of wraps. Make sure to stretch your back and shoulders. Make sure it's not too tight. And make sure you can breath.
> 
> -This has been a PSA for your local selfcare snake
> 
> So, did you like this? If you look down, you'll see this is part of a series. I was planning on making it a one-shot, but I quickly became attached to these boys and their backstories. I already have Prinxiety finding each other finished and another one half done. So, if you want more of this universe, leave a comment about what I should write about and subscribe/bookmark/whatever the series! (I'm not 100% how to work this site) 
> 
> I'll post the Prinxiety one in about an hour or two.
> 
> I just want to thank you for reading and hope you come back again! Please give me any and all sorts of feedback, positive or negative, I truly just want to improve my writing. Stay safe guys, gals, and non-binary pals!


End file.
